Bixe: The Camera Girl and the Villan
by InkMeYouVillian
Summary: Rated M for reasons, sorry, the friskiness starts around ch 15. Basically a 'forbidden love' story about Billy Hooligang and Trixie Sting. I suck at summaries. Do not own... you know the drill.
1. Hey Camera Girl

"Hey camera girl, film this!"

Trixie rolled her eyes, riding her mecha on past Billy has he dangled on the edge of a cliff. She laughed as she heard a high-pitched scream behind her, followed by a thud. She sped her mecha up to catch up with the rest of the gang.

"Hey, don't fall behind now, you don't know what type of monsters will get you if you do." Kord joked curving his hands into mock claws.

Trixie laughed again, "If you consider Billy a monster, but he's nothing I can't handle," She shrugged with a proud smile.

"Hey, let's just leave the Hooligang alone after what mess they caused last time." Eli huffed from the front of the group. It was needless to say those two boys didn't get along anymore, despite Eli's willingness to forgive almost anybody. Trixie rolled her eyes, reminding herself that no matter how attractive his blonde hair made him, Billy was on the wrong team.

But that didn't stop the dreams of returning to Snowdance cavern, just the two of them, with a nice caring Billy. Of course, that was impossible, he was cocky, immature, and more often than not, quick to anger and pull a blaster on someone.

"Trix, you okay? You seem down all of the sudden." Kord asked.

"Hmm? No, I'm fine." She forced a smile. Kord looked at her funny, he wasn't buying it. Trixie tried a different smile before turning back to the road. Almost home now, where she could vent her feelings to the slug net, where no one knew her real identity, and where no one would judge her for her feelings for the wrong guy.


	2. Secret Admirer

Billy trudged home on foot, his mecha behind him. His fall had been rather unkind to his back and lower areas, and his mecha was not going to help his situation.

"Where ya been Billy?" Shorty's called as he entered the hide out.

"Doesn't matter." He sneered back, heading over to the fridge for something frozen to put on his butt.

"Looks like you've had a rough one." Glasses piped in.

"Like I said, it doesn't matter." He spat, heading over to his bed. He lay on his stomach, placing the frozen peas he had found gingerly on his butt. He shot a glare at his gang as they snickered.

_Dear Readers, today I saw Billy again…_

Billy pulled up his favorite blog on the slug net. Well, next to Trixie's video page. But this was a very close second. Here for him to read was some girl pouring out her emotions, no doubt about him, for the slug net, and more importantly, himself, to see.

_He was showing off. No surprise there. He always likes doing that. I remember my mom told me when I was a kid that when boys like you they always try and show off for you. However, with Billy, I think that may just be part of who he is. He's always been a little self absorbed. I'm sure somewhere under all that tough guy exterior there's a nice boy in there, but I've never seen it. I don't know if it's worth even looking for. None of my friends would approve, in fact, I can't think of a single person in all of Slugterra who would approve. But I just keep hoping there's some good in him. I never saw myself as the bad boy type, but I just can't stop thinking about him. If I just had proof that he had a soft side, maybe I'd just feel like it was a crush I didn't have to hide. _

_~T.S_

"Ooh Billy, whacha reading?" Glasses laughed, swiping the laptop out of his superior's hands. Billy reached to get it, wincing when his body protested. If he only hadn't given up that stupid Boon Doc to that stupid Eli Shane.

"Gosh you're such a narcissist." Glasses teased.

"The heck does that mean?" Billy flailed angrily.

"It means self obsessed." Shorty looked up from their worn couch where she was doing her nails.

"I am not!" Billy protested.

"Dude, you're reading some blog about a girl who's obsessed with you." Glasses deadpanned.

"Narcissist." Shorty shot again.

"What? Am not!" Billy struggled to get up, only to lie back down when his butt told him it was not ready for such a feat.

"I've honestly never known a girl to be interested in you." Shorty continued to leer. "You should ask her out before she starts thinking again."

Billy sputtered before being able to come up with any sort of come back. "It's anonyms." He finally growled. "I don't know who she is."

"She signs it T.S" Glasses offered.

"Yeah, and how many people have those initials in all of Slugterra?" Billy scoffed.

"Well, I'll just track the IP address." Glasses smirked, heading over to the couch to sit next to Shorty. "It's a snap. And then we can find out who Billy's _secret lover _is."

Shorty laughed as Glasses' fingers flew across the keyboard typing in codes and other things Billy didn't understand. He rolled his eyes, wishing his friends would stay out of his non-existent love life.

"No," Glasses gasped.

"Are you sure you did that right?" Shorty almost screeched.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"I know I did it right!" Glasses yelled at Shorty.

"Don't tell him!" Shorty cried again.

"What the heck is going on?!" Billy demanded again, wincing as he finally managed to stand up.

"Nothing!" Glasses blanched, slamming down the top of the laptop.

"Tell me now!" Billy roared, reaching for his blaster.

"See this is why this is the only girl in all of Slugterra who actually likes you. And barely at that!" Shorty shot back with a glare. "You're always going around shooting everything when you don't get your way!"

Billy faltered for a moment. "Tell me who!" He demanded again, not wanting to seem weak. He was after all, their leader.

Glasses and Shorty pressed their lips together.

"Now!" He demanded.

"Not unless you ask nicely." Shorty grinned mischievously.

Billy groaned. "Will you just please tell me who already?"

"That wasn't very sincere." Shorty continued to grin.

"Oh my gosh are you kidding me?!"

"Nope."

"Fine! Will you please, oh my dear, best, kind, friends, please tell me who my secret admirer is?"

Glasses looked to Shorty, who nodded. There was a pause, an unbearable, nail biting pause.

"Trixie Sting." Glasses finally answered.


	3. I'd Change For You

Billy was floored. Trixie. Camera Girl. _His _Camera Girl. He'd been trying to impress that fiery redhead for months, and it had worked? Blank-faced, he took the computer from Glasses' fearful hands and went back to his bed. His mind was whirring. If Glasses was right that meant she definitely had feelings for him. But that didn't mean she ready to jump into his arms now. He wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but he wasn't stupid. He had read every conflicting emotion in her posts, he knew how she felt. He was of course still at fault for never thinking to change or do something about it.

Resting on his hands, he scrolled through each post, picking up on little hints that were now dead giveaways as to the fact it was Trixie. How had ne not picked up on these before? He continued to re-read each post thoroughly, trying to find every little detail Trixie didn't like about him, every last characteristic that made her hesitant to openly admit her feelings instead of hiding behind an anonyms blog. There was of course the blaring fact that their gangs basically hated each other, but there were other things he could change, that maybe would make her a little less hesitant, less conflicted. He'd do anything for her. He'd even be the good guy.


	4. Lost in a Daydream

"Trix, you gotta get your mind out of the gutter." Eli's voice rang through Trixie's daydreams. "We've got important business on the table here, we need you to be at your best."

"Huh? Oh sorry, must not have slept well." Trixie offered as an excuse, trying to hide the obvious fact that Eli's latest plan to stop Dr. Blakk was not the most important thing on her mind right now. Not like she purposely wanted it this way, it just sorta happened.

"Does everyone get the plan?" Eli asked. Had she really missed the entire debriefing? She muttered some sort of reply that sounded like a yes, still not fully out of her daydreaming.

"Great, we head off tomorrow at dawn."

Trixie almost immediately began to head to the computer.

"Hey Trix, you sure you're okay?" Eli asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled, sitting down at the computer, planning to rant about how unfocused Billy was making her. However, before she pulled up her blog, she saw an unread message in her emails. Who on earth would email her? There was no name, so cautiously Trixie clicked on it.

_Snowdance Cavern. 8 PM. Wear something nice._  
_Billy_

Trixie quickly exited out of the message in case anyone else might see it. It was impossible, he couldn't have found her blog, let alone find out it was her. In fact, it probably wasn't him, just some punk pulling a joke on her. Still, Trixie was curious and full of hope. She pulled open her blog, wanting to alert her readers she had a possible date night, before rushing upstairs to get ready.


	5. Date Night

Trixie rode slowly into the icy cavern, nervous anticipation setting in her stomach. She had taken of her armor and let her signature pigtails out so her bright red hair now cascaded down her back. She stopped outside the ticket booth, unsure if to advance. What if it was all a hoax? She sighed, he probably wouldn't come. However, it was a movie she had wanted to see for a while, so she decided she might as well stay. After all, he might just be late.

Billy thought he was going to puke. What if she didn't get the email? What if Glasses had found the wrong IP address, or given him the wrong girl? It was no secret in the Hooligang that he had a thing for Trixie, so they may have just been joking with him. She may still hate his guts. He looked at the measly daisy in his hand. Were daises even her favorite flower? He reached to his neck to pull at his red bandana, frowning when it wasn't there. Shorty had insisted on dressing him, forcing him to ditch the red bandana and find a shirt without any stains or holes. The shirt was stiff and he was more than uncomfortable. Even before factoring the bruises that still covered his entire backside. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants for the third time. The previews were starting, she wasn't coming.

Trixie faltered, that was Billy's mecha idling in the back of the crowd. He was here, but it didn't look like Billy. He looked clean, well put together. And he had yet to destroy the whole cavern. Trixie was surprised to say the least.

"Hey Billy," She smiled uncertainly pulling up beside him.

"Huh? Oh! Uh, hi!" he stammered, holding out the flimsy daisy with a nervous smile.

Trixie paused again, taken aback by this new side of Billy. Slowly she took the flower, twirling it between her fingers. "Thank you, daises are my favorite." She smiled.

"You're welcome," Billy stammered. "You uh, you look really nice." His voice shot up an unexpected octave and he mentally slapped himself. Honestly, nice didn't cut it, Trixie looked drop dead gorgeous and he could barely think straight any more.

"You clean up pretty nice yourself." She smiled at him again, her cheeks showing the slightest tint of red.

"Popcorn?"He offered, smiling nervously again, hoping the box wouldn't slip out of his sweaty hands.

"Don't mind if I do." Trixie managed to say cordially taking a handful and popping a kernel in her mouth. This had to be another one of her dreams. Billy had never acted nice to her knowledge, but more than that tonight, he seemed so open, so vulnerable right now. It was like he was as nervous as she was. Trixie didn't know what to make of it.

"You ever see this movie before?" he asked, attempting small talk, as the previews came to a close.

"No, I've been dying to though."

"Then I won't spoil the ending for you."

"What, you've seen this before?!"

"I'm not busy saving the day like you are, so I have a little more free time to catch a movie whenever I want."

"Yeah, saving the day can be sorta time consuming," Trixie bit her lip awkwardly.

"I will tell you though, you'll never guess who the bad guy is…"

"Sh! You said you wouldn't spoil it for me!"

"Right, right, more popcorn?"

Trixie took another handful, trying her best to focus on the movie. But she was still trying to process this nicer Billy. It was completely unlike the egotistical, short-tempered teen that usually tried to shoot her when they saw each other. And what would her friends think of her going on a date with one of their most hated nemesis? She couldn't tell them, they'd probably throw a fit. The way he looked tonight though, and the way he was acting, made her think that under different circumstances, they could be a real thing.


	6. Chit-Chat

"That was an amazing ending!" Trixie exclaimed as the credits began rolling. "You're right! I never expected his mom to be the mastermind villain!"

"Told ya." Billy smirked, offering her the last bit of the popcorn. "And I have to admit, after seeing it for the third time, you pick up on some really well placed details."

"Wait, you've seen this three times?"

"Like I said, I have more free time than you do."

"And tell me, how many of those times did you actually pay for a ticket?" Trixie prodded with a mischievous smile.

"There are some things you just don't need to know Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes." Billy laughed back.

Trixie laughed again, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Hey you wanna go to the arcade or something?" Billy asked, nervously rubbing his arm.

"I'd love to, but I got to get home, got some pretty important save the day stuff to do tomorrow." Trixie shifted nervously in the seat of her mecha, looking down.

"Yeah, no, cool." Billy sighed.

"Thanks though," Trixie brought her daisy to her face, sniffing its perfume with a smile. "Today was amazing, thank you."

"Well then I guess I'll see you around then?"

"As long as you promise the next time we meet doesn't involve trying to shoot each other." Trixie giggled.

"I'll certainly try my best not to aim at you." He chuckled, reaching over to let his hand gently graze across her cheek before riding off. Trixe blushed as she watched him go, her entire body on fire from the touch.


	7. Factions

"Hey Trix where ya been?" Eli called as she walked inside their hideout. "Did you forget about the pre-mission dinner?"

Trixie's face palled. She totally had. "No, I was just out meeting someone." She offered, trying to sneak back up to her room.

"Must have been a pretty important someone if you wore makeup for them." Kord pointed out, waving a drumstick at her.

"Just an old friend." Trixie said curtly.

"If you insist."

"Ah what does it matter?" Pronto sighed, "Here have some of Pronto's delicious cooking!"

"Thanks Pronto." Trixie grimaced. She was never a big fan of Pronto's cooking, but she definitely didn't want it now after all the popcorn she had eaten at the movies. Begrudgingly she took a huge bite and chewed slowly.

"So shall we go over the plan one more time?" Eli asked.

Trixie nodded, not having paid attention the last three times he explained it, and knowing she probably wouldn't pay attention this time.

"So how'd it go?" Shorty asked as soon as Billy walked in the door.

"Great." Billy smiled triumphantly.

"I'm surprised you two didn't stay out longer." Glasses teased.

"Nah," Billy shrugged as he moved to recline on the couch. "She had some Shane Gang stuff to do tomorrow."

Glasses and Shorty looked at him. "And did you perhaps ask her what they were doing?" Glasses prodded carefully.

"No, why?"

"Why not?! If we knew their plans we could have stopped them, and bam! We would have a job again!" Shorty yelled at him.

Billy's gaze darkened. "That has to be the dumbest idea I've ever heard."

"I think it's a great idea." Glasses offered quietly.

"It's dumb. What makes you think that Blakk would even re-hire us?"

"It's worth a try. We need the money." Shorty continued to argue.

"It's no amount we can't make on our own!" Billy's voice began to rise.

"What's gotten into you Billy? One date and suddenly you have as much backbone as a Flopper!" Shorty shot back.

"Look, I'm just saying why fight for the losing team?" Billy tried.

"Losing team? Blakk's unbeatable!"

"We've seen the Shane Gang in action plenty of times to know they stand a chance!"

"So what? Are you saying you wanna join them now? Are you just going to flip flop back and forth between sides? How can anyone trust you if you do that?! Look what that girl's done to you! You're not even you anymore!" Shorty screamed.

"I am plenty capable of still kicking butt! Especially yours if you don't shut up! So just drop it!" Billy yelled, getting up from the couch and grabbing his blaster. He glared at his gang-members before putting the blaster back in its holster and storming off to his bed. He was angry that Shorty would even think of such an idea. But then again, less than twenty-four hours ago, he would have had the same idea. He frowned deeply. Had Trixie really changed him that much? He just didn't want to hurt her by making her think he was still a bad guy. But wasn't he supposed to be? He had tried to change so much for Trixie, just to make him like her, and he thought they were all positive changes. But Shorty was right, he wasn't really Billy anymore. He wasn't sure if he liked this new Billy better, or more importantly, if these changes would be worth it.


	8. Even If You Ask, I Won't Tell

Trixie dodged an oncoming ghoul, jumping behind a rock. This was not according to plan. She knew because she had managed to focus the last time Eli had gone over it. They were supposed to be in and out of the citadel by now, but then stupid Twist had ambushed them.

"We need a new plan!" She yelled across at Eli.

"Do you have one in mind?" He yelled back.

"Pronto suggests an honorable retreat!"

"Not how we roll!" Eli reminded him, shooting Joules at an illusion of Twist.

"Oh man, when will you learn?" Twist laughed manically. He pulled the Gatler around, shooting a barrage of ghouls at the gang.

"So how about that honorable retreat bro?" Kord asked Eli.

"Wait, I've got it!" Trixie exclaimed, shooting a Speedstinger above Twist's head, ricocheting to hit him in the back. He fell forward and Trixie shot her Tormato at the Gatler.

"Great moves Trixie!" Eli exclaimed, giving her a high-five.

"Thanks, learned them in a movie."

"When have you had time to see a movie lately?" Kord asked.

"I have some spare time." Trixie said defensively, reminding herself she couldn't tell her friends about her date last night.

"Let's do this mission now guys!" Eli rallied them.

Trixie smiled and followed her friends into Blakk's fortress, ready to give the bad guys a good beating.

Regardless of the fact that she had gone on a date with a "bad guy" last night. That was totally different. Right?


	9. Cuddling is the Best Medicine

"We should have gone! We would have totally kicked their butts." Shorty was continuing to gripe about Billy refusing to attack the Shane Gang yesterday.

"Didn't I tell you to drop this, oh I don't know LAST NIGHT?!" Billy yelled back.

"Doesn't matter." Glasses groaned. "Blakk got his butt handed to him."

"And if we had been there I bet they wouldn't have." Shorty quipped.

"Or maybe Blakk's just the losing side."

"You're being such a flake!"

"Or maybe I'm just a self-preservationist! Huh? You ever thought of that?!"

Shorty glared at her leader before picking up the remote and turning up the volume on their half-broken TV. Billy stuck his tongue out at her before typing something quickly on his lap top and heading out of the hide out.

He rode his mecha slowly to Tusker Forks Cavern, picking up a few daises he saw on the side of the road as he went. He picked out a green hill, pulling his mecha to a stop, dismounting and climbing about halfway up the knoll before sitting down and reclining in the grass. He let his body relax, glad to be away from the tension that was consuming his gang right now.

"Long time no see," A voice came from above him.

"I see you got my message." He replied, patting the grass next to him.

"What, couldn't stay away huh?" She continued to joke as she lied down next to him.

"Hey you're the one who came to me." He looked over and smiled, handing her the daises. Trixie smiled back, taking them from his hands.

"How was the mission?" Billy asked, acting as if he didn't know already.

"A success, but barely." Trixie tried to sound nonchalant.

"Eh, I bet it was all thanks to you."

"Actually, it kinda was."

"Why am I not surprised?" Billy laughed, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling Trixie into him. Trixie blushed, startled by his contact, but she welcomed it. She placed an arm on his chest and snuggling into him.

"I'm glad you were successful, I'd be kinda bummed if you got captured or something." He said quietly.

"Yeah, cuz I doubt you'd be my knight in shining armor and come save me." She laughed.

Billy laughed as well, playing with a strand of her red hair that had fallen out of her pigtails. "Hey, you never know, I might."

"I'd appreciate it if you did." She looked up at him challengingly.

"I'll think about it." He grinned, bopping her nose playfully. Trixie nudged him in response before resting her head back on his shoulder. The pair stared at the roof of the cavern for a while, Billy continuing to play with her hair. Suddenly Billy's stomach growled. Trixie laughed, tapping his stomach lightly.

"I'd offer to get us lunch, but I am kinda without a job." Billy sighed.

"Hold on," Trixie got up and went over to her mecha, pulling out two apples. She tossed one to Billy before going back to snuggle with him.

"Well, look at you Ms. Totally-Prepared."

"You're just lucky." Trixie joked, pulling his arm back around her as she took a bite out of the red orb in her hand. Billy laughed again, pulling her tighter into him. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so happy. It didn't matter what his friends thought, everything felt so right with Trixie, he didn't care if he was a flake now, or changing sides. For her, anything was worth it.

He took another bite out of his apple, absorbing Trixie's beauty. Slowly she finished her apple, placing the core away from the couple before snuggling deeper into Billy, letting her eyes flutter shut. Billy fought back an even bigger smile, finishing his own apple and tossing the core aside. He wrapped his other arm around Trixie, holding her protectively as he felt exhaustion creep through his body. He rested his head gently on top of hers, smiling as he listened to her steady breathing. Eventually he felt his eyelids getting heavier and he fell asleep with her.


	10. It Doesn't Have To End

"Trixie, wake up, your friends are going to be wondering where you are." Billy mumbled as he tried to shake Trixie awake. She just groaned and snuggled deeper into him.

"Trixie," Billy tried ticking her sides to no avail, "I'd prefer not to have Eli Shane chasing after me with his Infurnus slug because he thought I kidnapped you or something."

Trixie giggled at that. "I'd make sure he didn't hurt you." She cooed, wrapping her arms around him.

"Alright fine, you've forced my hand." He sighed dramatically, picking her up and carrying her over to her mecha, placing her on the seat.

"You know I don't want you to, but you gotta go." He said, caressing her cheek.

Trixie pouted, giving Billy her biggest sad eyes.

"Oh don't do that to me now," He pleaded with her, his hand traveling down her neck. "I promise, I'll email you again, don't worry." He gave her a weak smile, all his strength being used to not pull her off her mecha and kiss her hard. He picked the daisies off the ground, handing them to her before snaking his hands around her waist and giving her a tight hug.

"I don't wanna go." She whined, hugging Billy back.

"You gotta, like I said, I don't need Eli to come at me with his blaster."

Trixie sighed dramatically, ruffling Billy's hair. "Today was so nice though."

"Well if you liked it that much, we can do it all again tomorrow." He smiled, leaning back to look at her.

Trixie grinned, nodding. "See you then," She leaned down to kiss him on the head before riding off leaving Billy as the stunned one this time.


	11. Lying and Fighting

"Trixie! Where have you been?" Eli exclaimed as soon as she got in the door. "We were so worried about you!"

"I was out," she shrugged, trying to be as vague as possible.

"All day?" Kord asked, surprised. "With whom?"

"I have friends other than you guys," She retorted, "It's been a while since I've had a chance to catch up with them. What, am I not allowed to have a social life?"

"Geez, you don't have to be so touchy, sorry we asked." Kord held up his hands in defense.

Trixie's face fell, she didn't mean to go off on her friends like that. She just didn't want them to know. Lying to them like this was hard enough. She couldn't stand to think what would happen if they found out.

"Billy! What the heck were you doing out all day!" Shorty screamed at him, throwing an empty slug cartridge as he tried to quietly sneak off to his bed.

"I was out." He sneered, throwing the glass tube back at her. Shorty caught it expertly, rolling her eyes at her comrade's predictability.

"Well unless you found some sort of food or money, I don't care!" Shorty continued to yell at him. "Because if you haven't noticed, we're out of both!"

Glasses nodded in agreement, throwing his thumb at the empty kitchen. Suddenly Billy felt very guilty about the apple Trixie had given him earlier that day.

"We'll get jobs or something." Billy shrugged, trying to mask his emotions.

"Considering you won't let us bust the Shane Gang anymore, how do you plan to get a job?" Shorty fumed.

"We'll get normal people jobs."

"Yeah, because those pay."

"They pay enough! And with three of us it'll be plenty!"

"God look at you, suddenly you want to be a law abiding citizen, getting a normal job, backing out of huge opportunities! Whatever happened to you wanting to make a name for yourself?"

"I've reorganized my priorities. Now you're either with me, and you're going to find jobs with me tomorrow, or I will blast you out of this cavern right now!"

Glasses leaned over to Shorty, whispering in her ear; "He's still got his old temper, so maybe this is just a phase. For now, let's just go with it."

Shorty sighed, still angry with Billy. "Fine. Bright and early tomorrow, we're getting jobs." She stomped off to her bed with Billy glaring at her back. Glasses sat quietly tinkering with some scrap metal as the blonde continued to fume. Billy had no idea why his friends suddenly hated him dating Trixie. Wasn't it Shorty who had dressed him up nicely for his first date? When had she changed her mind? And most importantly why was she being so mean about it?


	12. Never Gone Forever

Trixe sat dejectedly on the grassy knoll. It was well past noon by now, and she hadn't seen Billy all day. Did she scare him off yesterday? She looked up trying to blink back the tears. She had been so full of hope, and now it seemed she was due for a reality check. A few unwanted tears escaped her eyes. She wiped them away quickly, looking around to make sure no one saw the powerful Trixie Sting having a break down. Especially over a boy. Especially a boy like Billy. She lay down on her side, too depressed to go home. Her tears were flowing faster now. It was probably all just a hoax to begin with. There was no way she meant anything to Billy, they were just too different. She tried to sniff the tears back in to no avail. She was stronger than this. But for some reason, she couldn't stop the break down.

Billy growled, practically tearing off his work uniform. Now he understood why he never had a job before. It sucked. The customers sucked, the boss sucked, his co-workers sucked. Everything sucked. It smelled bad and he was barely making any money. And he didn't even get that money until the end of the week. It was stupid, and it sucked. He looked at the time. It was almost four, he still had plenty of time to go home and check if Trixie had updated her blog before the rest of the gang got home. He gave his mecha some juice beginning the ride home. He passed Tusker Forks cavern, happily day dreaming of the previous day he had spent with Trixie there. Trixie! He had promised her he'd meet her there again today! How had he forgotten? He revved his mecha and sped into the cavern.

Surprised to still see her at their little hill, he brought his mecha to a jarring halt before jumping off and rushing over to her, scooping her up in his arms.

"Trix," he breathed, gently rubbing his fingers down her spine. "Oh thank goodness you're still here."

"You're late." She tried to joke, but her voice gave her away.

He pulled back to look at her face, noticing the rivulets the tears had left running down her face. "Oh babe, what happened?" He said, wiping the dampness off her cheeks.

"Nothing," She tried to smile, "I'm just glad you're here." A small sob clutched her body and she buried her face in Billy's chest to hide the new onslaught of tears.

"Oh geez, I'm sorry," He held her tighter, understanding, "I should have told you, I completely forgot." He rubbed circles onto her back, trying to comfort you. "I'm sorry this is, this is all my fault isn't it?" He sighed, glad Trixie gave him no response to the question. He knew this was his fault, he just didn't need to hear it from the girl he was trying so hard to make happy. "I should have told you, I got a job." He flushed, embarrassed by the fact that the ever-so-powerful Billy had succumbed to a working class job.

"Where?" Trixie sniffled, looking up at him.

"I'm just working at a fast food joint." He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Really?" Trixie asked surprised.

"Yeah, it ain't that great. Actually, it kinda sucks." He replied chuckling. "But I need the money." He sighed, wiping another tear from Trixie's face. "However," He smiled, trying to make her laugh by replacing the ending '-er' with an '-ah', "I do think I'll have enough money left over from my pay check to take my girl out to eat." He smiled, pushing her down and rolling across the hill with her until she landed on top.

"Your girl huh?" She replied smugly, tapping him on the nose with her forefinger. "And who might that be?"

"You know the answer to that babe." He grinned. Then he leaned up to kiss her.


	13. Scream Out the Secrets

_The kiss was short, chaste, sweet. But I still swear I saw fireworks. I felt them too. It was the second best moment in my life. Only because the second kiss was twice as passionate, and three times better than the first. My lips still feel like they're on fire. It was amazing to say the least. I feel kinda guilty for not trusting that he'd come. As bad as I've always taken him for, he's really got a good heart underneath. And it makes me feel so special that he's willing to show that side of him to me. I've definitely fallen hard for him. I feel like I have to bite my tongue every time I see him so I don't ramble on and on about how handsome he is and how much I love him. And yes dear readers, I do believe I love him. A lot._

_~T.S_

Billy's heart almost leapt out of his chest as he read the final lines of Trixie's latest blog post. Seeing everything from her point of view, seeing how crazy she was about him, drove him wild. If she was in his arms right now, he'd have no problem showing her that. But Trixie didn't know that he knew about her blog, and it needed to stay that way. She'd probably hit him with a Tazerling or something if she found out he spent his free time reading her deepest darkest secrets.

Shorty made a noise from the couch. She and Glasses were still upset with him. They just needed to get over it.

"So lemme guess," She sneered, deciding to poke the bear, "You didn't get a job today and spent all your time with Trixie."

"I am offended you would think so lowly of me." Billy scoffed, taking the bait. "I will have you know I did get a job. An awful one, but it will pay."

"Oh and does the ever so wonderful Trixie Sting still want to date this civil Billy?" Glasses chimed in.

"I'm surprised she's even stayed with you this long." Shorty continued.

Billy shot up from his bed, immediately grabbing his blaster.

"You wanna repeat that?" He growled.

"Oh sure, I'll elaborate on it too," She cackled. "She's out of your league. She's some big famous hero hanging out with a Shane. You'll always just be a dirty punk kid. It's a miracle she was ever interested in you in the first place. I don't know why any girl would want to put up with you for more than an hour. But even worse, now because of her, you're a flake. Boon could be a better leader than you could." She spat the words at him, standing up and reaching for her own blaster.

"You don't think I'm a good leader huh? Need I remind you who saved your butt on multiple occasions? Need I remind you who got us this far? Who got us over half our jobs in the past? You were with me then! Why is it a big deal now?" He slammed a slug into his blaster, taking aim. "I am the leader of this gang for a reason! It has always been that way and will continue to be that way! If you've got a problem with that, or if you've got a problem with who I chose to date, I suggest you find someone else to protect you from the Cast Offs!"

Shorty palled. Slowly she put the blaster down, then she sat back on the couch, staring ahead blankly at the wall of the dirty cave they called their hideout.

"That's what I thought." Billy spat, returning to his bed.

Glasses looked at Shorty for a long while before speaking. "You gunna be okay?"

"Yeah." Shorty responded quickly, snapping back into her own self. "I just don't agree with Billy's decisions."

"You're not… jealous, are you?"

"You know better than that." She winked.


	14. Dirty and Dejected

"Trix, you in there?" Eli waved a hand over his friend's face.

Trixie blinked, startled. "Yeah," she mumbled quietly.

"You sure? You've been kinda out of it lately."

"Have I?" Trixie tried to sound surprised. It wasn't like she was daydreaming about her super great but totally taboo boyfriend and then mentally stressing out because she was afraid her friends would find out. No not at all.

"Oh Pronto has the best idea!" The Molenoid burst in, disrupting the conversation. Trixie never thought she'd be so thankful for his "best" ideas. She zoned out again, uninterested in Pronto's plans for glory by entering all of them in a hot-dog eating contest, and went back to day-dreaming of Billy.

"That's a great idea," she heard Eli say, "But how about we all go to the movies instead? That flick we all wanted to see is still playing."

Trixie grimaced, she had already seen that movie with Billy. Quickly in the light of her friends questioning faces, she put on her most excited smile and nodded. She'd have to see it four times to best her boyfriend, so she might as well go along and start now.

Billy mentally retched. That was the third time this week he had heard the shuffling of Glasses' feet across the floor to Shorty's bed. And it was only Tuesday. Next came the whispering and giggles, and then the things you couldn't sleep through. Billy physically felt the bile rise in his throat now. They thought his relationship was gross; they should look in the mirror. He rolled over, pulling the pillow over his head. He hadn't told them he knew yet to save the awkwardness of him being a perpetual third wheel. He had been tempted though each time they made fun of his relationship. But the more he thought of it, he was keeping quite a few secrets from his friends. As well as his significant others. He shot a guilty look at his computer. Trixie would probably murder him if she found out he was reading her blog, but he couldn't stop. Anyone who had the chance to see their girlfriend's uncensored point of view about their relationship would keep reading. He wasn't a hero anyways, so what reason did he have to stop? As long as she didn't know, it was totally okay. He sent another guilty look at the computer as Shorty let out an exceptionally loud groan before quickly being silenced by Glasses. Next paycheck he was getting his own room.

Trixie sat in the darkened living room of the Shane Hideout, the glow of the computer screen washing her face. It was probably time for her to get a personal computer for her room, but she didn't have the gold for that, nor did she have the time to get a job like Billy.

Ah Billy. The mere thought of him made her smile in the darkness as she vented her feelings the only way she could. She didn't have any close girl friends, never did. And she was still unwilling on many levels to start talking about her relationship to Eli and Kord.

The movie had been painful to sit through. All it did was remind her of the last time she saw it, which no offense to her friends, she had preferred her other company. It had been over a week since she had last gotten to see Billy, and the movie was just a blatant reminder of the passing time. With Billy's new job and her current saving the day profession, they could never seem to make it work. Billy had promised her to take her out this Friday when he got off from work, just so long as she didn't have to run off on Shane Gang business. The more she thought about it she told her blog, the more she was tempted to just blow off Eli and the rest of the gang for just one night with Billy. The last time they had seen each other still burned like a flame in her mind, and she was longing for more. She spent more than enough time with the Shane Gang, she deserved just a few hours with Billy.

She was almost resolute to just cut out on whatever Eli would scheme up for Friday, but she paused, her fingers hovering above the keyboard. She simply couldn't. Her friends, and more importantly, the good of Slugterra came first. They had to; it was her job, and a whole bunch of people were counting on her. She sighed, all her fuzzy feelings gone as she finished the post to her blog and trudged up to bed.


	15. Fancy

"Wow Trixie, you look nice, what's the occasion?" Eli asked her as she was trying to make a silent escape.

"Uh, going out with relatives." She lied, pulling on the shimmery purple dress that matched her nails.

"Really?"

"Yeah, nice dinner and stuff." She rushed, teetering in the heels she had bought for the occasion. Maybe she'd be eye-level with Billy's nose.

"You, uh need a ride or something?" Eli asked, glancing at her attire, "I'd love to meet your family too," He smiled widely.

"Uh no, I think I'll be good." She tried to manage a confident grin as she stumbled out to the garage. Maybe this wasn't her best idea, but it wasn't like Billy could come sauntering in and drive her to the restaurant, nor was she going let one of her friends take her there to meet him.

"Just remember we've got some big plans tomorrow, so be sure you get some sleep!" Eli called after her.

Trixie frowned, she may have gotten away with tonight, but it never seemed like she could get a break. Tomorrow Eli had more schemes to stop Blakk's rapid take-over of Slugterra. It was a good idea of course, with the best intentions, but she just wanted to spend a nice night with Billy. She struggled in the short dress to mount her mecha properly, but she managed, onto her next obstacle of actually driving the thing.

Billy waited outside, nervously shifting from foot to foot, waiting for his date to arrive. What if something had come up at the last minute? What if she had gotten into trouble on the way here? What if Shorty and Glasses were right? Billy frowned sharply, he hated them for making him think that way. But ever since that argument had occurred, it seemed like she was avoiding him, always busy with some Shane Gang stuff when he was free. He was just holding on to the shrouds of memories from the last time they had been together, the kiss on the hill, him being able to comfort her, her still accepting him. He was clinging to the posts on her blog that said she missed him. Clinging like his life depended on it. Because the more he thought about her, the more she was becoming his life. He straightened his red tie which replaced the red bandana he had kept in his pocket, and watched the horizon impatiently.

Trixie cursed the short dress, the high stiletto heels. Why couldn't they go somewhere simple where she could have just worn her regular clothes? She understood though, Billy wanted to do something nice, to sort of prove himself, so she'd let him. She angrily ran her fingers through her tangled locks, which she had left down on this occasion before she went to meet Billy.

"Need some help there miss?" Billy's incredibly smug voice came from behind her.

"I've got it." She replied sarcastically, but she was unable to hide the huge smile that broke through her features. She took Billy's hand and allowed him to help her off her mecha, because honestly, there was no way she was gracefully getting off the tall machine underneath her.

"You look really nice." Billy said seriously, looking into her eyes and pulling her close.

Flustered, she looked down at his tie, surprised he had managed to find a full suit for the occasion. "So do you." She smiled back up at him.

"Shall we go inside?" He grinned, stepping back and offering her his arm. Beaming, Trixie took it and let Billy lead her inside. A sour-faced waiter showed them to their table in the large restaurant, so dimly lit that they could barely read their menus. The dim lighting not only seemed romantic to Trixie, but that, along with the snob-nosed people in the room, kept anyone from noticing the taboo couple.

"Just don't order the filet minion or anything okay?" Billy muttered over his menu, suddenly worried about just how expensive everything was becoming. Suits weren't exactly free, and these prices were looking like about an entire months pay.

"I'm more of a soup and salad girl," Trixie smiled, also a bit put off by the prices.

Another sour waiter took their orders as Trixie laughed at Billy's complaints of work, and tried to explain her own work in the most positive light possible. She was still uncomfortable discussing Shane Gang activities with him, since he was still sort of an enemy, and probably still bitter about the times Eli had wiped the floor with him.

"Do you really have to go?" Billy pouted as they walked down the marble steps towards the parking lot.

"Unfortunately, yes." Trixie sighed, slowly heading over to her mecha, where her Arachnet was waiting for her patiently.

"You have a really strong connection with your slugs." Billy mused leaning over her shoulder, stalling before he had to let her go.

"Yeah, I love slugs, they're amazing creatures." Trixie smiled, scratching the small slug's head.

Billy smiled, Trixie's face always lit up when he brought up slugs. He tried to do it every time he saw her, just to see her cute excited smile. "You've got to teach me some stuff sometime, I think it's cool, and I'd love to have a better connection with my slugs," He said, leaning against her back and pulling her into him. His hand grazed over her thigh that the dress left exposed, teasing the creamy white flesh. Trixie swallowed a gasp, feeling her pulse jump. Her slug laughed at her facial expression, but she was too distracted to notice. Billy was already turning her around, crashing his lips onto hers, clutching her back like she would disappear into thin air if he let her go.

"You can't just do this to me." He growled between kisses. "You can't just look so sexy, and, and then leave me hanging." He tried to pull her closer into him, wanting her to feel his desire as one of his hands traveled underneath the hem of her dress.

Trixie moaned longingly into the kiss, tears almost springing to her eyes, overwhelmed with Billy. She wanted to just stay with him, not help the gang tomorrow, but she needed to, it was her duty. She wanted Billy so much though, she wanted to show him just how much she loved him. She wanted him to hold her forever. She wanted to forget how different they were, how wrong this was. She wished she could explain this to her friends without them getting angry with either of them. Right now, all she wanted was him though. Her hands were clawing at the buttons of Billy's shirt, her mind clouded by a new sensation she always seemed to get when she was this close to Billy. She broke away from the kiss, her longing mirrored in Billy's sharp green eyes. Billy tried to pull her in for another kiss, but she turned her head to the side, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

"I have to go." She repeated in a quiet, sad voice.

"I don't want you to." Billy whined.

"I know, I don't want to go either, but I have to." She sighed, pulling back from the embrace. "Another time," She smiled sadly, tugging at Billy's jacket attempting to straighten it.

"But when?" He frowned as he helped her on her mecha.

"We'll find time." She gave him a final kiss, before slowly making her way home, trying to keep control of her mecha in her high heels. She'd find a way to balance her love for her job with her love for Billy. She didn't know how, but she knew she had to. She refused to give either up, so she'd find a way to make it work.


	16. Relax and Finish

Trixie rubbed her fingers into the sore muscles of her neck. Something had gone terribly wrong today and the gang was scratching their heads as to where the fluke had happened. Kord had ended up with a broken arm and Pronto was almost killed by a rock slide. All thanks to Twist.

"I don't know when he got so strong!" Eli slammed his fist on the table. They were all frustrated, everything had been planned to a T, but Blakk still managed to turn the tables on them with his precious apprentice.

"Remember, you both did spend some time with the Unbeatable Master." Kord reminded him.

"It's that accursed Thuglet of his." Pronto started on a rant of how to beat Loki, but the rest of the gang tuned out his ramblings.

"Look, we're getting nowhere with this." Trixie sighed, exhausted. "Let's take a break, think it over some, and we'll come back to it after dinner or something."

"Good idea Trix." Eli smiled before grabbing his blaster and going outside to practice with Kord. Trixie left Pronto's continued ranting to type a quick email to Billy before heading out.

"Hey, you look beat." Billy frowned at his girlfriend as she rode her mecha to their new meeting place near Quiet Lawn cavern, a little alcove behind two towering tan rocks.

"I am." She dismounted with a grimace as her muscles screamed in protest. Billy patted the ground next to him and Trixie gimped over, every nerve in her body wailing in pain. He offered her some of the water he had and she drank gratefully. Quietly, she leaned her head on his shoulder, letting is presence calm her.

"I didn't think you were going to be free today." Billy said breaking the silence.

"Today didn't go well; we ended up having to retreat."

"Aw the poor Shane Gang, forced to such a humiliating act." Billy let the venomous comment slip, immediately regretting it as he saw the anger in Trixie's eyes. "What happened?" He tried to recover, putting as much concern as he could into his eyes.

"We don't know yet, but I wanted to take a break. And see you." Trixie blushed, glancing down.

"Aw, ain't you sweet?" Billy chuckled, lightly pinching her side. Trixie smiled in return, playfully pushing his hand aside.

"What have you been up to?" Trixie asked, trying to maintain the conversation.

"Eh, just got off work. My days are in no way as exciting as yours."

Trixie giggled, nuzzling into Billy's side.

"Hey, I haven't forgot about where we left off last night," Billy suddenly reminded her with a smug smile, "It may help you relax some if we picked up where we left off."

"Someone thinks very highly of themselves." Trixie laughed, shoving Billy lightly.

"So is that a yes or a no?"

Trixie nodded wearily, a weak hand trying to grope its way up to Billy's cheek.

"Now, now," Billy reprimanded the tired girl with a light bop on her nose. "Let's start with something that doesn't require you to work as much."

Trixie whined in protest, but it quickly developed to a groan as he eased her down onto her stomach, massaging his calloused hands into her tight muscles. He worked his hands across her small back, making sure to work out ever knot and align every vertebrae of her spine.

"Mmm, you're good at this." Trixie hummed as his fingers spent a significant amount of time on a troublesome knot below her right shoulder blade.

Billy chuckled, leaning down to plant a feathery kiss behind her ear. "I know a thing or two darling." His voice was husky, strained from holding back to make sure his girlfriend was taken care of before they moved on to more interesting events. Trixie shivered at the sound of his lustful voice and let out another involuntary groan. She turned around, suddenly her exhaustion forgotten as her hand traveled up his chest to cup his face so she could drag him into a very deep and passionate kiss.


	17. Weighing The Scale

_Dear readers,_

_I almost lost my virginity today. _

Trixie sat alone on the computer, the rest of the gang not yet back from their breaks.

_Billy said it'd help me relax, and it did. He gave me a massage, and then well, things happened. And I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm not sure if we're going to fast though, I mean, we've barely been dating for a month, and we barely see each other, but it just seems like we've sped by the usual way relationships go. Not that I'm exactly sure what the norm is. It just all feels so right though, I just never want it to stop. And believe me, we almost didn't today. I now understand when people say, "one thing just led to another." It was great. I can't seem to get over it. If I wasn't worried about getting caught, we'd probably still be at it. I'll spare you from the details though. I just hope Billy doesn't think I'm rushing things, or that I don't want to go further, I mean, we both kinda agreed we got a little too heated today. But it was just so good. I hope we get the chance to do stuff like that more often, because it was great._

"Oh Trix! You're back!"

Trixie quickly concluded and signed her post before exiting out of the web page. Hopefully no one ever looked through the history.

"Hey Eli," She smiled, trying to act nonchalant.

"Where's Pronto? I'm starved." He said reclining on the couch.

"Dunno, probably still out. You seem in a better mood."

"Yeah, that's because he just beat me like 8 million times." Kord huffed as he trudged in.

"It was only 72, but who's counting?" Eli laughed. Kord just rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch next to Eli.

Trixie laughed with Eli, trying to get rid of the nervous feeling that was constantly plaguing her now around her friends. She hopped they wouldn't notice the hickey she had underneath the eight layers of cover up.

"Well since Pronto still seems to be MIA, let's all go out for pizza, and then we can tackle this problem." Eli suggested, kicking the scattered papers and ruined plans on the coffee table.

"Sure," Trixie smiled. After today's events, she was starting to feel like she could maybe find a balance between her friends and Billy.


	18. Keeper of Too Many Secrets

Billy sat on his bed in a blissful haze. It was nice that Glasses and Shorty worked later shifts than he did so he had time like this to himself. It also meant he didn't have to witness their sexual tension bubble over. Even though his friends were trying to keep it a secret from him, it still happened too much for his liking. But then again, who was he? Here he was, scrolling through Trixie's old blog post, reminiscing in the earlier stages of their relationship, but most importantly, replaying that afternoon's events in his head. It had been amazing to say the least. Sure they had agreed that it was best for them to not go all the way- at that time at least. Still, it was a perfect day in his books. His red bandanna was tied just a little tighter now to hide the matching purple marks on either side of his neck, proof their good time and Trixie's love. They'd have to be more careful in the future though.

Billy stopped over another blog post that reaffirmed Trixie's secret love for him. It made his face beam with pride every time. He wondered what would happen if he told her that he loved her. Would he get to hear those words float out of her mouth? Her blog told him so much about her, it made it so easy to make her happy, and she made him happy by just being her and being with her, but sometimes she was finicky. It was a girl thing he supposed. Sometimes he'd try to do the things she mentioned that she liked, but he didn't always get the expected reaction out of her. She was something different for sure, even with this Ace in his sleeve.

Billy looked up as he heard the laughter of Shorty and Glasses echo through the entrance of their hideout.

"And look who it is, the ever-triumphant gang leader." Shorty snarled.

"Hey, I've done my time, I've put food on your table."

"And spent the rest of your money on fancy dinners and expensive suits for worthless girls." Shorty shot back.

"Hey, didn't we agree to drop this like, forever ago?" Billy growled, his blissful mood quickly dissipating. "I mean, would you care to share what you've been doing with your extra money?" He glared over the top of his laptop screen.

Shorty and Glasses both palled, suddenly unable to meet Billy's stern gaze.

"That's what I thought," He spat. He knew about their own expensive dates, their sex toys hidden under Shorty's bed. He was smarter than he looked, and until their secret was out, he'd play them with that fear of him finding out their dirty secret. He sent a sweet goodnight email to Trixie, a habit he was quickly adopting, once again telling her how pretty she was and how much he missed her, before closing his laptop screen and hoping he'd fall asleep tonight before Shorty and Glasses went about their increasingly frequent night time love making sessions.


	19. All The Way

"You going out to see your family again Trixie?" Kord asked incredulously.

Trixie grimaced, once again caught in the act of trying to sneak out to see Billy.

"No, my old friend." Trixie chose her other common lie.

"Oh, say, did you ever tell us her name?" Kord asked nonchalantly.

"Nope," Trixie tried to grin, "You probably don't know her anyways." She rushed.

"We'd love to meet her." Eli joined the conversation.

"Well I'd say yes, but the entire point of me hanging out with her is to get some girl time, you know without my guy friends." Trixie pointed back and forth between herself and Kord and Eli for extra emphasis.

"Makes sense." Kord shrugged, picking up a game controller and turning to the TV.

Grateful, but a little guilty, she rushed out the door. Girl time, what a lie, she thought to herself. Spending time with Billy was anything but girl time. Hanging out almost always seemed to end in a very heated make out session now, not all of which were instigated by Billy, and today was going to be one of those days that she started it. The little foil package felt like it was burning a hole through her pocket. It had been a few months now, and she couldn't hold back any longer.

Yes today, she had decided, they were going all the way.


	20. Post Veneris

He pulled her in closer, his brain still swimming with hormones. This was by far the best day of his life. He let his hand gently graze over her side, making her shiver. He chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"Was that alright?" Trixie asked, looking up at Billy questioningly.

"Amazing babe." He grinned kissing her on the lips now. He didn't have much to compare her to, and he was pretty sure he had made that evident about half an hour earlier, but it still stoked his pride to know how hard she was trying to please him.

"Good, because I liked it too." Trixie smiled, kissing him back rather passionately.

"Hey, hey, let's not start this again." Billy said, already feeling excitement run its way down his spine.

Trixie pouted, but consented, sitting up to put her clothes back on. Billy followed suit, enveloping her in a huge hug as soon as he was finished. Trixie chuckled, hugging him back and stroking circles across his muscular back.

"You really are something special to me." He whispered lovingly in her ear.

"You too Billy." Trixie responded, giving him a squeeze.

"I wish we could stay longer." Billy sighed, pulling back and stroking her face gently.

"But you have work," Trixie sighed, finishing his sentence for him.

"And your friends probably have some new scheme to try."

Trixie laughed, kissing him one more time before helping him straighten out his work uniform and watching him leave.

She whispered quietly into the air the words she was still too afraid to tell Billy to his face.

"I love you."


	21. Riffraff, Street Rat, Scoundrel

_The kiss was short, chaste, sweet. But I still swear I saw fireworks. I felt them too. It was the second best moment in my life. Only because the second kiss was twice as passionate, and three times better than the first. My lips still feel like they're on fire. It was amazing to say the least. I feel kinda guilty for not trusting that he'd come. As bad as I've always taken him for, he's really got a good heart underneath. And it makes me feel so special that he's willing to show that side of him to me. I've definitely fallen hard for him. I feel like I have to bite my tongue every time I see him so I don't ramble on and on about how handsome he is and how much I love him. And yes dear readers, I do believe I love him. A lot._

_~T.S_

Billy's heart almost leapt out of his chest as he read the final lines of Trixie's latest blog post. Seeing everything from her point of view, seeing how crazy she was about him, drove him wild. If she was in his arms right now, he'd have no problem showing her that. But Trixie didn't know that he knew about her blog, and it needed to stay that way. She'd probably hit him with a Tazerling or something if she found out he spent his free time reading her deepest darkest secrets.

Shorty made a noise from the couch. She and Glasses were still upset with him. They just needed to get over it.

"So lemme guess," She sneered, deciding to poke the bear, "You didn't get a job today and spent all your time with Trixie."

"I am offended you would think so lowly of me." Billy scoffed, taking the bait. "I will have you know I did get a job. An awful one, but it will pay."

"Oh and does the ever so wonderful Trixie Sting still want to date this civil Billy?" Glasses chimed in.

"I'm surprised she's even stayed with you this long." Shorty continued.

Billy shot up from his bed, immediately grabbing his blaster.

"You wanna repeat that?" He growled.

"Oh sure, I'll elaborate on it too," She cackled. "She's out of your league. She's some big famous hero hanging out with a Shane. You'll always just be a dirty punk kid. It's a miracle she was ever interested in you in the first place. I don't know why any girl would want to put up with you for more than an hour. But even worse, now because of her, you're a flake. Boon could be a better leader than you could." She spat the words at him, standing up and reaching for her own blaster.

"You don't think I'm a good leader huh? Need I remind you who saved your butt on multiple occasions? Need I remind you who got us this far? Who got us over half our jobs in the past? You were with me then! Why is it a big deal now?" He slammed a slug into his blaster, taking aim. "I am the leader of this gang for a reason! It has always been that way and will continue to be that way! If you've got a problem with that, or if you've got a problem with who I chose to date, I suggest you find someone else to protect you from the Cast Offs!"

Shorty palled. Slowly she put the blaster down, then she sat back on the couch, staring ahead blankly at the wall of the dirty cave they called their hideout.

"That's what I thought." Billy spat, returning to his bed.

Glasses looked at Shorty for a long while before speaking. "You gunna be okay?"

"Yeah." Shorty responded quickly, snapping back into her own self. "I just don't agree with Billy's decisions."

"You're not… jealous, are you?"

"You know better than that." She winked.


	22. In Ruins

AN: The angst starts here, I warned you.

"We've got them on the ropes! Don't give up now!" Eli called, pulling his mecha forward to advance on a group of Blakk's henchmen.

"Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we're running low on slugs!" Kord called from behind him.

"We can't lose!" Eli screamed wildly, loading Burpy with such force it was a surprise the blaster didn't break.

Trixie frowned at her diminishing arsenal. This was another one of Eli's bad ideas, and the seemed to be getting worse. Over the past two weeks he had dragged them out on increasingly dangerous missions that almost always ended in failure. It was driving Eli insane. Literally. She was sure he was developing an eye twitch. And the worst part was that she hadn't had the time to see Billy with these constantly dangerous missions going on.

"Crap!" She yelled as a ghoul whizzed dangerously close to her head. She needed to focus. She loaded one of her last three slugs and took aim. If Eli would just take a second to regroup and strategize, maybe they could win this one.

Billy looked down on the road below him, the sudden sound of a fight reaching his ears. The Hooligang was out, taking a day off from work. Billy was hoping that he might be able to reconcile with his friends if they did it like the good old days. As long as Trixie didn't find out, it was a perfect plan. And what was one more secret anyways?

His eyes widened as he recognized Trixie's dark blue mecha alongside the rest of the Shane Gang. It had been a while since he had been in a good duel, but even his rusty skills could recognize that the Shane Gang wasn't doing so well. Without a second thought he jumped down the road, blaster raised, ready to help Trixie no matter what the cost.

"Told ya it was just a phase." Glasses smiled triumphantly at Shorty, who grinned back at him with a wink. They followed Billy down the hill taking aim at Eli.

Billy stopped his mecha right between the two sides, unloading his arsenal at Blakk's men. He vaguely registered Eli asking him something about what he was doing, and a startled cry from his girl, but he continued shooting at the henchmen. A Hop Rock flew by his ear. "Hey! I'm trying to help!" He yelled turning around, his anger growing when he saw his two so-called-friends shooting at the Shane Gang, who were now seriously on their last slugs.

"What are you doing?" He hissed at Shorty and Glasses, but they ignored him.

"Enough!" He roared angrily, shooting a Phosphaller into the air. The shooting ceased and everyone looked at Billy in anticipation.

"Billy," Eli began apprehensively, "What exactly is going on?"

"I was trying to help." He spat out, struggling to keep his anger under control.

"No, we weren't." Shorty amended, reloading her blaster.

"Shorty!" Billy yelled.

"Well if it's a fight you want," Eli shrugged, taking Burpy who had just returned to him and placing him in his blaster, "It's a fight you'll get."

"No!" Trixie cried out involuntarily.

"Trix?" Eli asked, the confusion evident in his face.

Shorty took the chance, readjusting her aim for the true root of the problem, Trixie.

"You will not shoot my girl!" Billy roared, jumping off his mecha and grabbing Shorty's arm so her slug was shot harmlessly upwards.

"Your girl?" Eli glared, suddenly putting the pieces together. The nervousness, the secretive behavior, the sudden inability to pay attention, the long nights spent on the computer. "You're seeing him?!" Eli fumed, taking aim at the blonde-headed offender.

"No please don't shoot him!" Trixie begged, jumping in front of the blaster.

"You do know what side he's on?" Kord cut in, his face making no effort to hide his disdain.

"He's changed! I promise! I'll prove it!" Trixie began to sob, her worst fears coming to life.

"I doubt it." Eli frowned, "You can't be on both sides. You have to chose one."

Trixie looked with deploring eyes to Billy, but all she saw was anger. She saw the old him she feared so much. The him she had never wanted to see again. "He's right babe. You can't have both. Go on, make a choice."

Trixie stood between them, torn and broken. She looked to her friends, who were glaring at her with disgust, then to Billy, the boy she had fallen in love with, but he offered her no emotion. She steeled herself, walking over to Eli, turning to face her boyfriend.

"I'm sorry Billy," She said quietly, "But my job and my friends are what come first. They always have, and they always will." Her voice broke into another sob, unable to stand the hurt in Billy's eyes.

"Alright then, I guess you get your duel after all Shane." He growled, shoving a slug into his blaster.

"What?" Trixie exclaimed.

"Oh don't worry darling," Billy sneered, the hurt evident in his voice. "I love you too much to shoot you, but the Shane wants a duel, and who am I to refuse?" He gave her one last sad look before steeling his gaze and shooting at Eli.

Trixie fell to the ground, utterly devastated. It had all seemed so perfect, like she could make this work. And now as slugs transformed around her, it was all gone. Every last heartfelt email, every last lustful kiss that always lead to something more; it was all gone. Her hope, her joy, destroyed within a matter of minutes. Everything was ruined, beyond repair, beyond saving, turned to ashes and ruined.

She took the necklace Billy had given her for their six month anniversary in her hands. It was a silver heart with a rhinestone in the middle. Angrily, she tugged at the chain, slicing into the skin on the back of her neck until the clasp broke, leaving the necklace in the dust to mix with her falling tears and the blood that was now dripping from her neck.


	23. More Goodbyes

Billy was unbelievably angry. He hadn't said a word when the fight was abruptly cut short by Trixie speeding away on her mecha. Eli had turned to him angrily yelling "Look what you've done!" before rushing off after her. What had he done? He had just wanted to help. And the people he thought were his friends screwed it up for him. All he had left was the necklace that he had picked up from the dirt, the clasp ruined and the silver stained with red.

"I think we did you a favor." Shorty sneered as Billy continued to stomp into their hide out.

"A favor?! More like you screwed me over!" Billy roared back. "And I'm pretty darn sure you had it planned that way!"

"Hey, you're the one that jumped down there." Glasses offered.

Billy glared at the gangly nerd. He usually didn't put in on these arguments. "And you knew why I went down there!"

"Not really," Shorty shrugged, examining her nails, "You didn't specify who to shoot at."

"Yeah, we were hoping you had finally decided to drop the skank." Glasses put in again.

"First off, she is not a skank." Billy fumed, "Second, you knew darn well what I was doing- you can't play dumb on me. Third, I don't see why you are so hell bent on screwing my relationship up! It's not like it could be any more disgusting than yours!"

Shorty and Glasses went silent, their mouths hanging agape.

"Yeah, don't think I didn't know about that." Billy continued lowly, stomping over to his corner of the hide out. "I don't need any more of your mean stabs at me and Trixie. I don't need any more of your sass about our lack of funds and how much more Blakk would pay. I don't need you screwing around in my life anymore! I'm sick and tired of you trying to make my life miserable! I'm sick and tired of you making gaga eyes at each other all the time, I'm sick and tired of you moaning and groaning on top of each other every stinking night! You two seem to be fine with just each other, so why the heck am I still here? Have fun fending for yourselves without me! You know I make the most money because I work the most! And most importantly have fun protecting yourselves from all your enemies that I've dealt with for the past six years!" As Billy was ranting, he was throwing things into his tattered bag until it couldn't hold anything else. He didn't think he'd ever need this bag again, but he was thankful now that he had kept it all these years. He stomped past his ex-gang members, giving them one last hateful look. They were still frozen, mouths still open, their eyes wide with fear. He almost felt bad abandoning them, they needed him. But then again, they had become so awful to them, he was certain he wouldn't have trouble sleeping tonight. As long as he could find a place to sleep.

He stomped out the door, giving his mecha a copious amount of fuel before riding off, officially leaving behind the life he had lived for the past six years and the ill-begotten name and history that went with it.


	24. So Far Away and Dying

"Trixie please come out and talk to us!" Eli banged his fist on the door again. They hadn't seen Trixie in three days. Her door had been locked, and he and Kord were a little hesitant about breaking the door down lest Trixie came at them full force with her arsenal.

"Okay look, we're not going to judge you, we won't yell at you, we just want to talk it out," Eli bargained. "We're worried about you Trix."

"Dude, how do you expect to keep that promise?" Kord whispered.

"Do you want her to come out or not?" Eli hissed back. He was very angry about the whole thing to say the least. And the next time he saw Billy would be his last. Either he'd see the scoundrel behind bars, or he'd see him six feet under.

Trixie never moved from her bed. She only tiptoed down the stairs when she knew everyone was asleep to vent her feelings on the Slug Net. She hadn't eaten, showered, or done anything else for that matter since she had gotten home. There was still dried blood on her neck, and she was sure it was going to scar later. Her slugs were worried about her, but she couldn't even muster a fake smile for them. She felt empty, like the last six months were a waste. But she couldn't get over it. She had truly loved Billy with all her heart, she had given him everything, and he had stood there and made her chose, he had transformed right before her eyes to the Billy she had been so embarrassed to like at all. She felt used, led on, and lied to. He had said he loved her, right at the very end, but the sneer on his face and the malice in his voice made her think he didn't mean it. She kept trying to tell herself to get up and move on, but every time she thought she could do it, another memory would hit her square in the chest, making her stomach clench, knocking the air right out of her lungs, and re-shattering her heart.

Billy fluffed his lumpy pillow back into shape, and pulled the tattered blanket he had brought with him over his shoulders. Now his feet were sticking out; great. For some reason the little alcove seemed much more comfortable when Trixie was with him.

His heart clenched at the thought of her. He missed her so much; he was stupid for not going after her. He felt so disconnected too; without access to the internet, he had no clue how Trixie was doing either. The only things he had left of her were the necklace and the memories. He had cut down to one meal a day to save enough money to have the clasp fixed, and he was still thirty dollars shy, which he wouldn't get until his next pay check. He was working every shift he could, just so he had something to do. Not that it helped keep his mind off Trixie, but it was better to move around and be haunted by it than just wallow in it like he did at night in the tall ceilings of the alcove they had spent so much time together in. His heart clenched again, and he fought back the tears. How unmanly.

He needed to find a way to make it up to her, to get her back. But he'd have to get through Eli to do it, and he had no idea how to go about that fearsome task.


	25. Shot Through the Heart

Billy never thought he'd love his job so much. They had just installed free Wi-Fi to bring in more customers, which gave him something new to do during his break time. Something he hadn't been able to do in a long while. He pulled his laptop out of his work locker and rushed outside. Sitting down, he booted the computer up, impatiently tapping on the side as he waited. It felt too long for him to get on to the Wi-Fi and pull up Trixie's blog. However, the first post made him decide he could have waited a lot longer to feel the knife of her words wrenched in his heart.

_It's killing me. I had to chose, and I know I made the morally right choice, but for some reason, my heart won't accept it. Billy's stone cold face still haunts me in my dreams. When I get a chance to actually sleep that is. I don't think I've slept in a good three days, and I know I haven't eaten since the incident. Six days, three hours and forty-three minutes. I know I need to eat. I should shower too. But everything in the fridge looks repulsive to me, and I can barely make it down the stairs to get online. If I could just stay locked up in my room forever, I would. I can't bear to face my friends now either. They probably hate me. They gave up trying to get me out of my room yesterday. The only time I ever come out of my room is to get on the computer. Every time there's this empty hope that Billy messaged me. But I know he doesn't care anymore. If you had seen his face, you'd understand. It hurt so bad to see it._

_ I just feel so empty now. In the short time we were close I felt like he filled every empty spot in my life and gave me something to look forward to every day. But now, there's nothing. I feel cold and lonely like nothing will ever be right again. I'm too scared to talk to Billy either, he probably hates me too. I mean, I did chose the Shane Gang over him. Because it was the right choice. I just didn't know right would feel so wrong. I have no goodbye to tell you, nowhere to go anymore, I just have nothing else to say. My words are empty, my head is empty, my stomach is empty, my heart is empty. Farewell for now I guess. I suppose I'll talk to you again when I feel like I have something else to say and I'm not talking myself in circles. _

_T.S_

Billy didn't bother reading the older post. He couldn't. His vision was blurred with the tears he was still refusing to shed. With shaking hands he closed his laptop, wiped the water out of his eyes and went back to work. If he could just make it through his shift, he'd go see Trixie now. It didn't matter what Eli would say, he simply had to. She was literally on the verge of death and he had just been sitting around for six days without being the wiser. He should have sent an email to Trixie he thought as he resumed his place at the counter. Perhaps he could just run back now and do it quickly. He'd take care of her as soon as possible. However, fate could never be so kind to those who need it.


	26. Even the Past Needs New Heroes

The blonde's face turned into a scowl as he saw two very familiar faces slink into the restaurant. His ex-friends-slash-gang-mates timidly shuffled up to him, their eyes down.

"B-Billy," Glasses began, "We, we need y-your help."

"Unless you're ordering, get out, you're disrupting business," Billy said coldly, completely aware of the emptiness of the greasy establishment.

"Please, you were right, we need you." Shorty begged, looking up at him with deploring eyes. Billy noticed a fresh scar on her cheek and was aware of exactly what was going on.

"Hey, you screwed up my life, why should I help you?"

"Because we are your friends!" Glasses implored.

"Were, not are." He spat back.

"They're going to kill us," Shorty's voice was barely above a whisper, as if the Cast-Offs would appear any moment. "We won't make it without you."

"That's your fault, not my problem anymore."

"What happened?" Glasses face was suddenly cold. "You used to be our friend."

"You betrayed that friendship." Billy responded, equally as cold. "Now scram and go do your love-making elsewhere." He spat, picking up a cloth and wiping the counter top until he could see his angry reflection staring back at him. He didn't watch Glasses and Shorty dejectedly leave, but instead continued watching his expression as the anger dissipated and was replaced with a look of confusion.

In the warped reflection he questioned himself. The Billy that had just abandoned two of the people who had loyally been by his side for years was the Billy those two had wanted, right? It was the Billy Trixie feared as well. But was the Billy that Trixie had idolized for those six months the real Billy? He slammed his fist on the counter angrily, which only resulted in hurting himself. He cursed, angry at the Shane Gang, his ex-friends, and himself. He just didn't know what to do anymore. He wasn't sure he knew who he was anymore.


	27. Nausea

Trixie slumped against the open door of the refrigerator. It was two AM, her usual roaming time, and she knew she needed to eat. Somehow her slugs had managed to keep her hydrated, but she had refused whatever scraps they had dragged up to her room. She was weak, unable to focus on the food in front of her eyes. Her Tormato slug whimpered on her shoulder, clearly worried. Unable to decide, she grabbed a jar of apple sauce and a spoon and sank to the floor. Did she even like apple sauce? She took slow bites, forcing herself to swallow.

She had to eat. She would die otherwise. But honestly, she didn't feel like living anymore, so what did it matter?

_It matters because I made a choice, and I have to stay strong to it. _

Trixie cursed the still-working conscience that had been flip-flopping back and forth on whether or not she had made the right decision, and for once wished it would just shut up.

She forced another bite of the apple sauce down, feeling some-what less catatonic. Still shaky, she dragged her way back to the fridge, determined to eat more. She found some bread and tore into it ravenously, her body needing the nutrients desperately. Still struggling to keep her food down, she drank a glass of water her slugs procured for her, thanking them as she gulped it down. Perhaps she was getting better, seeing as her appetite had returned. Downing another glass of water, she made her way back to her room, hoping she'd be able to sleep better now that she had eaten. She passed the large computer screen, looking at it hopefully, but deciding not to shatter those hopes tonight. She glanced at her reflection on the darkened screen, noticing the traces of blood that were still on her skin from when she tore her necklace off.

Suddenly she was running to the bathroom, clutching the sink with one hand and her stomach with the other. No, she was a fighter; she would not give up on all the effort it had taken her to eat. She struggled, swallowing again and again until she felt the wave of nauseous depression subside. She looked at herself in the mirror. Turning on the tap, she wetted a washcloth to wipe away the remaining dried blood on her pale skin. The remaining scar was an angry color, probably infected too. But what did she care? She swallowed again, fighting her food down, as she shuffled her way back to her room, once again all her determination gone, leaving her an empty shell of who she once was.


	28. Who Are You Really?

**A/N: sorry for the long wait! but I'm going to try and get up as much as I can now! Hope you guys are still enjoying the story! 3**

Billy paced in the alcove, absolutely torn and confused. He had to go see Trixie. She was dying. Literally. He wasn't an idiot; he had gone without food before, and she was at the threshold of death's door. But Glasses' and Shorty's lives were also on the line. It wasn't like they were his friends or anything anymore, but they had a history, and he couldn't just abandon them like this. He knew the two could not coexist, that had already been proven. But he had seen what making a choice between the two had done to Trixie, and he honestly wasn't doing so well himself. And he didn't even make the decision.

He raised his fist to punch a wall, but thought better of it. His hand was still bruised from earlier that day. If he could just send Trixie an email, he knew it would make a difference. But he had been to upset about Glasses and Shorty to remember while he was at work, and they had already turned the Wi-Fi off by now.

His slugs looked at him, their eyes big and worried. He bent down, calling them by name as they hopped towards him. Trixie had spent countless hours teaching him patience with his slugs, and even despite his anger, the bond she had helped facilitate could not be broken. He stroked his Flaringo thoughtfully, trying to calm himself so he could maybe think this situation through.

The necklace hung heavily in his pocket. It had been fixed just yesterday. Maybe he could scrounge some money to mail it to her. But that money could also go to helping Glasses and Shorty out. He knew what the Cast-Offs wanted. Shorty's dad had a serious gambling problem and some unsettled debts. Apparently his life wasn't enough for them. He raised his fist again at the tan rocks that made up the walls of the cave. Life had been so much more simple before he had a girlfriend.

Simple. That was what he wanted. A simple decision, an easy way out of this mess. Just like things were before…

He made his choice, finally laying down for sleep with still three hours before he had to go back to work. He knew who he was and he knew what he had to do.


	29. Bluff The Deck And The Deck Master

"You think this makes up for anything?!" The dirty man yelled at the young leader of the Hooligang.

"It should." Billy leveled his gaze, Shorty and Glasses cowering behind him.

The man picked up a toothpick to hold between his teeth. Billy couldn't help but question where the man's money was going. For a loan shark, he was terribly underdressed, a scraggly beanie and ill-shaven face was only the beginning, his clothes filled with holes and caked in dirt. He honestly wasn't even sure he had the right guy.

"This barely pays for half the gambling debts." The man growled; reaching for a blaster that looked like it had been broken for years. Billy kept his face still, but he felt smug, aware that he could beat the man.

"Oh yeah?" He tried to keep his sense of pride out of his voice, "Show me the record books."

The loan shark faltered for a moment before a heavy iron door swung into the dingy alley with one street lamp revealing a strong, fear inducing man, adorned by a pin-stripe suit and gold accessories to spare, even down to the detailing on his blaster. This was the man. The runner of the Cast-Off casino, an ostentatious and dirty Pirate themed multi-roomed monstrosity, and the scamming gang based off of the scamming gambling hall.

"What's taking so long?" He asked in a thick accent.

"I wanna see the books." Billy growled, now attempting to hide a new range of emotions. As well as not trying to pee his pants.

"Why do you need to see the books?"

"This fool doesn't seem to think this is enough money."

"Did you account for interest?"

"A blood price has been previously paid, that counts for more than plenty interest."

"Blood counts for nothing. That is merely punishment." The boss said coolly, a smug grin on his face.

Billy's eyes darted to the man's hand, reaching for his gilded blaster. The dirty pawn was also reaching for his. Billy knew what happened next. He shot the pawn with his Tazerling, doing a barrel roll to grab the money on the table. Glasses and Shorty loaded their blasters, but it was clear by the way they were shaking that Billy was going to do most of the work in this fight. The boss was already advancing out the door, his grin growing even larger.

"You'll pay for that. With that money and your lives!" He laughed confidently.

Billy looked at the blaster and palled. He recognized the cartridge the man was using. The red and black glass cylinders were trademark recognizable by any slinger in Slugterra.

"Why does everything have to be connected to Blakk?" He muttered under his breath. He glanced at Shorty and Glasses, tugging on his ear, their sign for retreat. They all shot Frost Crawlers at the man and took off running.

"It's a temporary fix," Billy breathed when he thought they were safe, "but it's not permanent." He handed them the money, including his share, and began to ride away.

"Wait, you're not staying with us?" Glasses called after him.

"I ain't going to be your third wheel." He chuckled, "Besides, you did kinda throw a wrench in my life." He sighed, he still felt bad for Trixie, but he just couldn't fix everything.

"But they'll be back!" Shorty cried.

Billy handed them the record book he had also snatched during his barrel roll. A move he could accredit to Trixie if she'd ever talk to him again. "You have the money, just not plus interest. The 20% is how much they're charging. I'd say don't pay them at all if I thought we could beat them. Back then we could. But now that they're tied to Blakk, it's not going to happen. They'll probably want an extra 10% too. I don't know the exact numbers, but I can spot you some cash and then we'll just pay them back and be done with it hopefully. I hate doing it, but we don't have another choice. After this is over though, I'm done. I ain't your all-holly protector anymore. I'll help you out this last time. But then it's it."

"Trixie changed you." Shorty glared. "We used to be such a great team."

"No, I've grown up." Billy glared back. "Now do you want my help or not?"

Shorty cast her eyes down, nodding. Billy turned his mecha back around and rode off to his less-than-ivil living space, his simple plan having him more torn and confused than before.


	30. Two Weeks

**A/N: This is in a more prose-format, but I found it fitting~**

Two weeks. Two weeks she had barely been eating, barely moving, barely living. She had showered one time when the rest of the gang was out, just out of guilt for how bad her hygiene was. She was still skirting around by night, avoiding the rest of the gang. She couldn't bear to face them, she was so afraid of what they thought of her.

Two weeks, 1 day, seven hours, thirty four minutes. She didn't know why she counted. She didn't know why she couldn't stop keeping track either. She still updated her blog, to let them know she was still alive. Barely of course.

Two weeks. She had eaten eight times, only five times of which had she actually been able to keep the food down. She didn't know why she was so depressed over Billy, but without him suddenly she couldn't function. In six months she had become extremely dependent on him, and now without him she was nothing. She looked at the refrigerator often, determined to eat something of sustenance. Only to leave the food untouched.

Two weeks. Ten blog posts. But not one email to Billy. Not once had she asked for his forgiveness, not once had she asked to see if he was okay, or if he was doing as badly as she was. Perhaps if he knew how bad off she was, he'd be her knight in shining armor like he sometimes was and he'd fix this.

But no. It had been two weeks, she was weak, scared, and she was alone.


	31. Taking The Bullet

Billy was a little pissed about putting a whole week's worth of pay up for these two, but they needed help, and he had an unshakable need to do this for them. However, this was a dangerous something to do. He walked confidently back into the cavern, hoping his poker face was as good here as it was in a card game. The money had to be enough. This couldn't fail. He had everything planned and choreographed. He'd survived this long dealing with the sludge of these caverns, he could pull this off. If he didn't… the ending wouldn't be pretty.

The pawn looked at him suspiciously, his face also betraying the slightest hint of anger left over from their last encounter. Billy put on his saddest eyes, putting the original amount of money on the table. The man looked in his copy of the records-. For of course, Billy sighed, what was a good operation without multiple copies of what people owed them? The pawn glared at the money.

"I thought we've been over this, it ain't gunna cut it."

"But it's all we have." Billy implored, putting on the face he had used to beg for food so often in the streets.

"Not enough." The pawn repeated, un-moved.

"Well, I do have this little more." Billy pulled out what he hoped was the 20% required interest. Glasses had done the math, so he assumed it was right.

"Well it would," the man grinned, "But I believe we have a few issues concerning last week."

Annoyed, Billy pulled out the rest of his money, emptying his pockets for extra emphasis. The man counted the money, apparently unimpressed. Billy was worried this would happen, but he seriously had no more money to give.

"The boss ain't happy." The pawn shrugged. "Says here he wants a blood price too." The man pointed a dirty finger in the book where there was in fact, the word_ blood _written at the end of the row that kept track of their few payments.

"What blood?" Billy sneered, pulling out the act for plan B. "Yours perhaps?" He rammed his blaster into the guy's chest with the scariest grin he could muster. "Either you take the money and walk, or we keep the money and you never walk again."

"You drive a hard bargain for a kid, shame I have to kill ya." The man grabbed his blaster and shot Billy point-blank, sending him flying across the alley. Billy groaned. For such a crap blaster it sure packed a punch.

Startled, Glasses and Shorty paused a moment before they began to fire back at the man, who grinned as he shot high-powered ghouls at the pair. His blaster looked like it would go at any moment, but he just kept shooting, and the blaster continued to hold together.

Billy groaned again, he was pretty sure he had broken every bone in his body. If only he hadn't given that stupid Boon Doc to that stupid Eli Shane.

His Flaringo tugged insistently on his bandana. "Wadda ya want?" He groaned. The slug sassily stuck his tongue out at him and Billy had to smile, the slug was certainly one of his favorites. The slug jumped up and down, hopping towards his blaster.

"Yeah, gimme a minute," He groaned, wincing as he tried to stand up again. His hip had taken most of the energy from the shot. He felt like it had been shattered or something. He put his weight on the opposite leg, steadying his body to stand. The pawn was still behind the table, but he could see the iron door swinging open and the glint of gold.

"Can ya do it buddy?" He asked the Flaringo. The slug nodded and readied himself in his canister. Billy took aim at the door shooting the slug at the now visible boss.

"You have your money! Now leave us alone!" He yelled, almost falling over as his legs began to shake beneath him. Billy heard a crack and looked over to see the pawn's blaster finally giving out. Thankful, he shot a Hop Rock at the man and began to hobble his way towards his mecha. Shorty and Glasses rushed by him, without so much of a "thank you", hopping on their mechas and riding off.

"Such great friends I have." He grumbled to his Flaringo as the slug returned to him. "Let's get out of here." He mounted his mecha with a groan, hoping his hip would heal by tomorrow and began riding away, feeling the pain with every inch. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe this plan had been a bad idea from the start. Maybe Trixie had been the right choice for him all along. Maybe he needed her as much as she needed him.


	32. Don't Wanna Die Alone

**A/N: Went a bit prose again, but it's kinda nice, depressing though**

The bruise reached from his mid thigh to his rib cage, it felt like he had broken every bone.

The scar reached from one side of her neck to the other, it felt like her heart was shattered.

Work was painful, filled with nothing.

Living was painful, an empty void.

He opened his computer again, afraid of what he'd find.

She checked her emails again, her hope being chased out the window.

He felt like a knife was wrenched in his heart with every line he read.

She poured her soul out like blood onto every line of her blog.

He was lost.

She was empty.

He was confused.

She was dying.

He was beginning to hate the smell of the fast food.

She was wishing she could hold down one full meal.

He just wanted to talk to her again.

She'd give anything to see him again.

He'd make it up to her somehow.

She'd do anything to get him to take her back.

He was empty.

She was confused.

He was dying.

She was lost.

Without him, without her. They were two halves of a whole, unable to put the broken pieces back together. Without each other.

They were alone.


	33. Still Broken

**A/N: This one's really short I know, but the next one is the super long finale!**

Trixie's head was pounding. It had been four days since she had last eaten. It had been a month since the breakup and she was barely surviving. Eli had resumed trying to get her out of her room again when he was home, telling her she was being immature and that she could do better than Billy. She would shove her face into her pillow to keep Eli from hearing her crying as her slugs angrily growled through the door, trying to tell him what he was doing to his friend, but their noises fell upon deaf ears.

She knew she had to get up and eat tonight, but with Eli constantly pounding on her door, she didn't have the heart for it. They hadn't even left the house in a week, Blakk was dangerous on a good day, but without Trixie to help, they didn't stand a chance.

"Trixie! We need you!" Eli yelled again, but Trixie didn't move an inch. She didn't have the heart to fight anymore. Fighting tore everything apart. Sure it was kinda her fault, but they were the ones that had acted so harshly about it. Who was she kidding? This was all her fault. She let a few more tears fall before she succumbed to another restless sleep.


	34. Fixing Things

**A/N: This chapter is super long, but I had to write a happy ending. I hope you've enjoyed this fic! Keep an eye out, I will be writing more for slugterra in the future!**

Billy struggled towards the Shane Hideout, not that it was all that well hidden, psyching himself up. Today was the day he was going to fix things. He needed Trixie. After the Shorty and Glasses had ditched him and basically left him for dead, he realized Trixie had changed him for the better and he couldn't go another day without her. He had almost died at the hands of the Cast-offs too, and he had a sinking feeling it was far from over. As much as he hated to admit it, that annoying little Eli Shane was the only person who could help him with this.

He couldn't ride his mecha on account of his hip, and he now had to use a walking stick to get anywhere. His boss was actually kind enough to pay for him to see a doctor, considering Billy was the store's hardest working employee, even when he was only gimping around the kitchen. The doctor had said nothing was broken, but the way every step sent a jolt of pain through his body Billy didn't believe him.

He had almost turned back seventeen times, but he kept telling himself she was worth it. And he had gotten his bruised and battered self this far, he wasn't turning back now. He could see the roof coming over the horizon, he could do this. He knew Trixie would still be there for him if she wasn't dead yet, but he wasn't entirely sure that Eli would let him see her. He had even left his blaster at home for good measure, only his Flaringo slug was with him. He came up to the door, the fear balling up in his stomach.

He could do this. Trixie needed him.

Before he could even raise his hand to knock on the door, it swung open and Eli was jabbing his blaster in Billy's chest. Losing his balance, the blonde tumbled backwards cursing as his bad hip hit the ground first.

"What do you want?" Eli growled, his Infurnus slug glaring from the blaster at Billy.

"I came to talk to Trixie." He said honestly, trying to keep his anger under control.

"I doubt she'd come out for you. She hasn't come out in a month."

"That's not entirely true." Billy sighed, struggling to pull himself up by his walking stick.

"What do you mean?" Eli looked suspiciously over the top of his blaster.

"Well first how about you put that thing away?" Billy huffed as he managed to get to his feet. Eli didn't budge.

"What? Is the ever so virtuous Shane going to shoot an unarmed person? Even if you do want me dead, I thought you had better character than that Eli." Billy finally let himself seethe at Eli as he pointed to his empty belt.

Relenting, Eli slowly lowered his blaster, but kept it on him.

"She's been out of her room, but I haven't seen her." Billy informed his nemesis as he invited himself in. He limped over to the giant computer screen, lowering himself slowly on to the chair. The Cave Troll and Molenoid eyed him warily, their hands hovering over their blasters.

"What part of 'I come in peace for once' do you not understand?" He glared at them, pulling up the slug net.

"She keeps a blog," He informed Eli, typing in the URL and pulling up the page. "She used to update it pretty regularly, and that's kinda how everything started." He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, feeling suddenly very vulnerable. "She doesn't update it that often anymore, but she does keep a good record of what's going on." He pulled up a particularly dark and heart-wrenching post for Eli and his weird friends to read.

Eli read the post furiously. "Why didn't she tell us?" He fumed.

"You honestly think she'd tell you she was this depressed?" Billy cocked an eyebrow at him. How stupid was this kid anyways?

"Well why didn't you tell us?" Eli now shot the blame at him.

"Hey, I've been dealing with Blakk's little puppets! Now granted, I may not do it the same way you do," Billy tried to wheel and deal quickly with Eli, he knew Trixie's time was ticking, "But I've been busy. You try getting shot in the hip with a Grimmstone and then tell me how quickly you'll get halfway across Slugterra to save your girl! I would have been here much sooner, but it ain't easy!" He roared, pulling himself back up to look Eli in the eye. He took a deep breath to calm himself. This was not a good time to lose his temper. "Now look, I think she might be willing to talk to me, and maybe we can fix things and make her better. If she doesn't want me, then fine, I'm out of your hair for good. But you gotta understand if she still wants to be with me, I'm not going to let her go."

"You used to work for Blakk." Eli's eyes narrowed at him.

"Used to, not anymore. I don't even have a gang anymore."

Eli's resolve was beginning to crack and Billy knew it.

"You want the best for her just as much as I do, so please, just let me talk to her."

Eli gave one curt nod, heading upstairs with the Kord behind him. Billy shot a look at the Molenoid who was keeping a hard glare on him as he limped towards the couch, unable to stand any longer.

"Trixie, please come out, Billy's here to see you." Eli tried to sound as kind as possible, but there was still plenty of malice dripping from his voice as he informed his teammate of her visitor.

He was met with the same cold response that he had been getting for the past month. "Trixie, please," He continued to beg.

Kord pushed Eli out of the way, banging his heavy hand on the door and shaking the whole house. "Alright now Trix, I've been nice up until now, but I've had enough of this." He grabbed the handle and pulled it off its hinges. Trixie was startled awake but she didn't have enough time or strength to fight Kord off as he hefted her onto his shoulder and out of her room. She screamed as loud as she could, pounding her fist into his back but black dots continued to dance before her eyes and she knew she wouldn't last long. However, she was unwilling to go down without a fight.

Billy winced at her ear-splitting scream. The Shane Gang were idiots. They obviously had no clue how to deal with Trixie. He attempted to get off the couch to help her, but his hip refused to let him move more than an inch.

"Trixie, stop it!" He yelled, his heart shattering to hear her so upset.

Trixie paused for a moment, his familiar voice startling her. She assumed the worst.

"No don't hurt him!" She screamed again, resuming hitting Kord in the back.

"Geez Trix, we're sorta in a truce." Eli tried to reason with the angry red head.

"I'd hope this lasts longer than sort-of." Billy muttered under his breath as Kord brought Trixie to the couch, putting her on the opposite end of Billy. He was annoyed, but at least they were on the same couch.

"Trixie…" Billy trailed off; suddenly fear's cold hand was gripping his heart. She looked dangerously thin, her eyes looked hollow and glassed over, and he could now see the scar Trixie had mentioned on her blog that looked terribly inflamed.

His girlfriend just let out a sob, clutching at her sides like she was going to fall to pieces any second. Painfully, Billy dragged himself across the couch to take her hands in his. "I'm so sorry love." He whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. His heart was breaking to see the damage he had done to the girl he loved so much. Trixie was trembling, her eyes were hollow, and he wasn't entirely sure she was all here.

"Here, eat." He told her, handing her a ruby red apple, just like she had given him so long ago. Trixie took it with an unsteady hand, taking a small bite and chewing slowly.

"Why are you here?" She asked quietly.

"Well, because Eli was feeling generous today." Billy shrugged, wondering where the rest of the gang had headed off to. Not that he cared all that much anyways.

Another sob wracked Trixie's fragile frame, and Billy tried to comfort her, unsure of what to do now.

"Trixie, you've been worrying me, your blog posts were getting…"

"My blog?!" Trixie suddenly screeched, her eyes wide with fear.

"Shh," Billy placed a finger to her lips, holding it there while he explained, "To be completely honest with you, I've known about your blog for a while, a very long while."

Trixie was shaking like a leaf, her eyes still wide as fear and embarrassment seized her body.

"Trixie, it's a good thing." Billy tried to reason. Trixie just shook her head.

"Yes it is," he continued, "I wouldn't have even known that you liked me, and I would have never known you needed me now."

Trixie shook her head again, tears falling from her eyes.

"It's a good thing. I just wish I'd been able to help you more. I wish I had been more open with you. I wish I hadn't been such an idiot to let you go. I've missed you babe." His voice shook, but he managed to hold himself together. This was the one time he needed to be the strongest. "I need you Trixie, I need you like Slugterra needs slugs. Please, let me back in. I can't bear to see you like this, I love you." He whispered the last part, his voice finally breaking.

Trixie's weakened mind tried to process what he had just said. All this time she thought he hated her, but he had just said that he loved her. Her mind shot back to that fateful day. He had said it then too, but she hadn't taken him seriously then. She had wanted him to tell her for so long. He loved her, she wanted to say it back, but she wasn't sure her voice would work. Billy put the apple back to her lips, encouraging her to take another bite. She slowly bit down, her head still working beyond its current capacity; but she refused to succumb to passing out like her body wanted her to.

"Oh hey, I almost forgot the most important part." He pulled out the fixed necklace out of his pocket with a wince. Trixie looked at him concernedly.

"Oh I'm fine." He lied in a strained voice, his body reminding him where it hurt. "I'm too busy worrying about you," he chuckled, dangling the necklace in front of her eyes before clasping it around her neck, his hands running down the scar after.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, his eyes brimming with tears.

Trixie's hand went to touch the necklace, her eyes never leaving Billy's.

"I know it's still not a diamond or anything, but when I have the money I'll have it replaced or something…" Billy rambled, trying to talk past the tears.

Trixie suddenly enveloped him in a hug, crying into his shirt. "Thank you, thank you for everything." She whispered, hugging him as tight as her weak body could. Billy finally let all the tears he had been holding back for more than a month fall from his eyes, so happy to have Trixie back.

He pulled back, tipping Trixie's face up to his and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I love you too." She whispered, smiling for the first time in a month.

Billy smiled, relieved and exceedingly happy as he kissed her again.

He stroked her face, picking the apple back up and handing it to her. "You need to get your strength back babe, the world's ready for a fight."

Trixie took the apple, eating it slowly as she rested her head on Billy's shoulder, feeling like everything was going to be okay.

"What'd Eli say?"

"He's not happy I don't think, but he might let it slide. I don't really have any of my old connections anymore, broke up with the rest of the gang."

Trixie looked up at him questioningly.

"Eh, we just disagreed on principles. And I got tired of being the bad guy." Billy placed another kiss on her forehead, so glad to just be near her. He watched as Trixie finished the apple and slowly reached for the water her slugs had gotten her.

"You've got some talented slugs." He smiled, stroking a strand of tangled hair out of her face.

She smiled up at him, her headache worse than before, but she still refused go to succumb sleep. Not at a time like this. She yawned, finishing her water and looked up at Billy happily.

"Hey," Eli came in, interrupting their happy reunion.

Billy looked at him expectantly as Trixie hid her face in Billy's arm.

"Trix, please look at me."

Billy nudged his girlfriend, so she relented, but Billy could see the wide eyed fear had returned to her eyes.

"Trixie, you need to see a doctor." He said like a father. Billy refrained from rolling his eyes.

"No." Trixie said simply.

"Trixie, you're undernourished."

Trixie glared at him, clutching her pale fingers to Billy's shirt.

The blonde frowned, Eli was actually right on that account.

"You probably should," he sighed, wincing when Trixie turned her glare on him. He gave her a pointed look, rubbing her ribcage that now jutted out slightly for emphasis.

"I'll see you there," he tried to reason with her; "I should probably have someone look at my hip again."

Trixie's face melted to worry again.

"I'm fine." He smiled, lying, "I'll just be there a little later."

"We could give you a ride." Eli said. He looked like he was swallowing a live bug, but Billy gave him credit for trying. "You can drive her on her mecha." He coughed, clearly unhappy and uncomfortable with the mere thought, let alone actually offering it. Billy smiled gratefully and nodded, grabbing his walking stick and hoisting himself up before offering his free hand to Trixie. She took it, even more unsteady on her feet than he was. He grasped her around the waist, sticking his face in her hair to hide his wincing face. Trixie took the opportunity to lean up and kiss him on the small part of his neck that was exposed.

"I love you." She whispered as Eli walked ahead of them towards the garage.

Billy smiled widely, kissing her back. "I love you too."


End file.
